Today on the Culture Creature podcast, an interview with punk icon Walter Schreifels. Listen to the Walter Schreifels interview via the player above or in iTunes or your favorite podcast service.

Walter’s band Dead Heavens are preparing the release of their debut LP, Whatever Witch You Are, which is due June 16th (preorder here). Schreifels is also known for his work with seminal punk bands including Gorilla Biscuits, Youth of Today, Quicksand and Rival Schools. Today on the podcast, Schreifels discusses his first bands, Quicksand’s foray into the major label system, his love of classic rock, and Dead Heavens.

Walter Schreifels Interview Highlights:

Walter Schreifels on finding your voice in the formula of musical genres: “[Genre] is a formula, so within that formula, you can push the boundaries of it, but you can also be yourself. It can always be contemporary if you find yourself within that formula.”

Walter Schreifels on Quicksand’s major label career: “At the time that Nirvana came out, the music business was looking for bands that had some sort of independent success. They were looking for new Nirvanas. … We were second- or third-round draft in the major label feeding frenzy – is what they called it – of everyone looking for their kind of cool Nirvana band. And so we got swept up in that. I remember having a lot of resistance to it, actually, because I thought that we were not really a band that was like a pop band. Maybe I had some sort of hardcore guilt or something, of wanting to be successful. The other guys had more sense. They were like, ‘Are you crazy, dude, they’re gonna give us money, you can pay your rent, and we can fuckin’ get on MTV maybe – or not, who cares, why are you being so uptight?’ I was like, yeah, that’s a good point.”

Walter Schreifels on Dead Heavens: “Through Dead Heavens, I’ve got my first kind of new batch of skills. I learned how to play lead guitar, I started using pedal effects, which I’d never used before. So now I’ve got this whole new bag of tricks. The band is like – we just have sick chemistry, we all get along. It’s kind of nice. Not to say anything about all [my] other bands – they all had their chemistry as well, but this one is a lot smoother, there’s less debate, we’re all just kind of of the same mind, which is really nice, and I love the other guys’ playing, so it’s just cool to just sit back… it’s very easy, and fun.”